


A little distraction

by Melacka



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Liz is assertive, On the Run, Red is cautious, Season 3, very mild smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 21:16:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15276357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melacka/pseuds/Melacka
Summary: When Liz can't sleep one night while they're on the run, she decides that a little distraction is in order.





	A little distraction

**Author's Note:**

> I've read through this so many times and I still can't locate a plot. Just a bit of fun from one of my favourite eras of the show.
> 
> I didn't feel like the hints at smut or the few curse words in this warranted an explicit rating so I've left it at mature. Hope that isn't a problem for anyone.

Liz woke up with a start and looked frantically around the room, looking for what had disturbed her. The sound of thunder reverberated through the house again and she sighed in irritation. They’d taken refuge in this tiny cottage in the middle of nowhere that afternoon, just in time to watch a truly enormous storm roll over the area. Liz was grateful that they were inside for it and not stuck in a car or one of the other creative accommodation choices they’d resorted to since being on the run. The storm seemed to be making her normal nightmares even worse and she was worried that going back to sleep now would just mean getting trapped in an endless loop of nightmares only to be jerked out of them by the terrifying sounds of the storm.

She rolled out of bed and stepped over to the window. The room was stifling but she couldn’t open either it or the door. All their security measures and precautions were rendered somewhat pointless if she just decided to open up her window, and she didn’t like the idea of Red walking past and seeing her sleeping. So, she’d resigned herself to an uncomfortably warm evening hours ago, but she was tempted to just go and stand in the rain at this point. That would make quite a sight for the neighbours, she thought wryly to herself. If there were any neighbours.

It had been so hot that she’d removed all of her clothes except a tank top and panties, so she slipped into a pair of shorts and left the oppressive confines of her bedroom. She passed Red’s room on her way to the kitchen and debated with herself about just walking in. She thought that he would let her sleep in there with him. He certainly hadn’t denied any reasonable request of hers and had always gone out of his way to ensure her comfort wherever possible. She paused uncertainly in the hallway as she tried to work up the courage to either enter or walk away.

“Lizzy?”

She let out a little shriek and spun around quickly to see Red standing behind her, wearing a short robe and holding a glass of water.

“You scared me, Red!”

She put a hand to her chest and breathed deeply for a moment, avoiding his amused look and trying not to stare at his legs. She’d never seen him in anything other than trousers before and this sudden sight had messed with her concentration a little.

“Were you looking for me, Lizzy?” Red said gently but she could hear the laughter in his voice.

“Well–” she began, looking awkwardly from side to side. “I had trouble sleeping and I thought maybe – if you wouldn’t mind–”

“You wanted to talk to me?”

“No, I want to sleep with–” She cut herself off abruptly, flushing in embarrassment as she realised what she’d been about to say. “I want to _sleep_ , Red, and I’m scared,” she ended on a whisper, suddenly ashamed. A loud thunderclap sounded, and she flinched involuntarily. “I’m scared.”

Red put his glass down on a nearby table and stepped closer to her.

“Lizzy, come here,” he said gently, holding his arms open. She stepped into his embrace gratefully, hiding her face in his chest and breathing deeply. She felt his arms go around her and a sense of calm came over her. He kissed the top of her head and then pulled away from her, taking both of her hands in his. “Come to bed, Lizzy.”

He retrieved his glass of water and pushed open the door to his bedroom. It was just as stuffy as her room was, but they couldn’t risk opening a window when they were both sleeping. Red walked across the room and flicked on a lamp next to the bed.

“Would you like me to give you some time to get comfortable? I can get you a glass of water.”

“Thanks, that’d be great,” she said quietly.

Already trying to decide if she would take her shorts off or leave them on, she watched as he walked out of the room. Deciding that they were both adult enough to handle her having bare legs in this heat, she shimmied out of her shorts and kicked them away. She sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her hair up into a high bun on top of her head, knowing that the sweaty strands on her neck would only irritate her when she was trying to sleep. She rolled her head from side to side, trying to stretch her neck. The tension from the danger and the constant movement was beginning to take its toll on her. She reached up a hand to rub irritably at her neck, wincing when another loud clap of thunder sounded.

She heard Red enter the room and looked up to see him stopped dead in the doorway, a glass of ice water clutched tightly in his hand. He seemed to be staring at her legs and Liz couldn’t suppress her smile. At least she wasn’t the only one distracted by more skin than they were accustomed to around each other.

“Red,” she said, a little surprised at how husky her voice sounded. “Come here.”

She held a hand out to him, still keeping one on her neck. He jerked forward as if pulled by an invisible string and took her hand in his, staring intently at her face. Liz thought that he was probably trying to figure out what she had in mind. Calculating risk and reward. He never stopped thinking, planning, _plotting_.

She decided that a little distraction was in order for both of them. She felt a faint flutter of anticipation and smiled at him.

“You know, Red,” she began quietly, taking the water out of his hand and placing it on the nightstand, “I’ve often wondered about you.”

“Lizzy—”

“I’ve thought about you, Red. So many times.” She squeezed the hand she held and traced little patterns on his palm. “I’ve wondered just what your hands are capable of.”

He breathed in sharply, obviously surprised. She didn’t blame him, really. This could go either way.

She took his free hand, slightly wet from the condensation on the glass and brought it up to her lips. He watched intently, mouth open, as she moved. She held his gaze for a moment and then darted her tongue out to lick his fingers quickly. She smiled demurely at him and put his hand on her shoulder.

“I’ve been so tense,” she moaned, encouraging him to move his fingers over her. “I haven’t been able to sleep.”

“Lizzy,” he choked out. “What are you—”

She shushed him and shook her head before lifting his other hand to place on her other shoulder. It was a gamble, she knew, but she was suddenly desperate to try. After a moment of tense stillness, he finally began moving his fingers, massaging her tense neck and shoulders. She made a pleased noise in her throat and looked up at him, he was focused completely on her face, a look of restrained pleasure on his features. He still didn’t know what she wanted, clearly.

_Please let this work,_ Liz thought desperately.

She reached out a hand and fished an ice cube out of the glass. She maintained eye contact as she started to slowly trace it down her neck, the cold water dripping down into her top as it melted. His hands stilled as he watched. She arched her back slightly and smirked when he swallowed audibly.

“Red,” she sighed. “Will you help me?”

“H-help?” he stammered.

“Yes,” she said, standing up suddenly and crowding into his space. “Help me.”

She trailed her hands down his chest until she reached the belt of his robe. He trembled slightly and she looked up at him with concern.

“Red?”

“Lizzy,” he gasped, “are you sure this is what you want? Think, now, of what you’re really asking for.”

“I’m asking you to touch me, Red,” Liz said gently. “I’m asking you to let me touch you in return.”

She suited action to words and slowly undid the belt of his robe, drawing it open and exposing him to her gaze. She could see his erection straining against his briefs and she licked her lips, unaware of the effect this would have on him. He groaned quietly, and she looked up quickly.

“Lizzy—”

“Do you want to touch me, Red?” she said loudly.

His smile was pained as he replied, “It’s really not that simple.”

Her returning smile was confident as she gently turned them around until his back was to the bed. She pushed against his chest and he sat down heavily, looking up at her with surprise.

“Yes, it really _is_ that simple.”

“Lizzy,” he sighed, holding up his hands placatingly. She grabbed them with both her own and held them aloft.

“Do you want to touch me, Red? A simple yes or no will suffice.”

“Lizzy—”

“Yes or no, Red?” She took his hands and put them against her stomach. “Do you want to touch me here?” She dragged his hands slowly up to her breasts. “How about here?” She squeezed slightly and then moved his hands up to her face. “And here?”

“Yes,” he murmured. “Oh, yes, Lizzy.”

She nodded in satisfaction and released his hands.

“Do you want me to touch you?” She cupped his face with her hands as she spoke before trailing them slowly down his neck and chest before coming to rest on his shoulders.

“God, yes,” he groaned, closing his eyes.

“So, you want to touch me,” Liz said, moving to sit astride his lap and his eyes flew open comically. “And I want to touch you,” she continued nonchalantly, rolling her hips against him and enjoying the way he bucked against her reflexively. “Seems pretty simple to me.”

“Lizzy, please.”

“Please what, Red?” she said, moving her face very close to his. Her breath ghosted over his face as she repeated, “Please what?”

“We shouldn’t—”

“Why not?”

“You shouldn’t want this,” he said quietly.

Liz just barely managed to stop the frustrated groan that desperately wanted to escape.

“I’ll make a deal with you, Red,” Liz said, rolling her hips against him again for emphasis. He gripped her hips tightly and closed his eyes. “You give me one valid reason why I shouldn’t get to decide for myself what I _want,_ and I will walk away right now. You’ll never hear about this from me again.”

She nuzzled her nose against his and waited. He didn’t say anything.

“If it’s something that _you_ don’t want, Red, then I would appreciate it if you would just tell me. But don’t presume to tell me what I want.”

Liz wondered how long she could stay here before she was forced to give up. She could handle rejection, she’d certainly had occasion to get used to it plenty of times in the past. She didn’t know how she would handle it if he rejected her because he didn’t want her to want him. It was almost too ridiculous to contemplate.

“Lizzy, it’s not that I don’t want you,” Red said hesitantly.

“Well that’s a relief,” she said wryly. “What is it, Red?”

He still didn’t say anything. She had an idea.

“Tell me to go, Red,” Liz said quietly in his ear. “Tell me to go.”

He sucked in a sharp breath and met her eyes.

“Lizzy—”

“Tell me to go,” she whispered again.

He laughed disbelievingly and smiled fondly at her.

“Never, Lizzy,” he murmured. “I never want to do that.”

“Good, I didn’t really want to go anyway,” Liz said as she placed her hands on either side of his face. “I’m going to kiss you, Red. If that’s okay with you.”

He just nodded mutely, licking his lips and staring up at her. She moved his face close to hers and paused, watching as his eyes slid shut.

“Red, are you sure this is what you want?” Liz teased.

She laughed joyously as his eyes flew open indignantly.

“Elizabeth,” he said warningly.

“Think, now, of what you’re _really_ agreeing to.”

“Lizzy,” he growled. “Kiss me.”

She smiled triumphantly and lowered her lips to his.

“If you insist.”

What started out as a slow, gentle, closed-mouth kiss quickly escalated when Red apparently let his last doubts go. She moaned in pleasure when he opened his mouth and invited her tongue to dance with his. She was dizzy with arousal and had just started thinking that she could do this all night when Red pulled away abruptly. He encouraged her to stand up and she did so, feeling dazed.

“Get on the bed,” he said gruffly, standing up to yank his robe off and fling it aside.

“What?” she said, confused.

“Lie down, Elizabeth. Let me see you.”

She blushed at the implication and then cursed herself for being so stupid. She sat down on the bed without breaking eye contact and then swung her legs up as well. Red followed, kneeling on the bed and looming over her. He pressed quick kisses to her mouth and then pulled away before she could reciprocate. He gently encouraged her to lie in the middle of the bed and then sat back to look at her.

“Exquisite,” he murmured softly, trailing a hand down her side. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are, Elizabeth?”

Liz didn’t know how to respond to such unqualified admiration, so she didn’t say anything. Red didn’t seem especially bothered by her silence, he was occupied with running his hands gently over her entire body. He grasped the bottom of her top and, at her confirming nod, pulled it over her head. He traced a finger over one nipple and then the other, before he lowered his head to her breast. She cried out softly and watched the expression on his face as his mouth moved against her.

Overcome with sudden tenderness for him, she grabbed his face when he went to move to her other breast and brought him up for a desperate kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs found their way around his waist. She gasped in pleasure at feeling him pressed against her and rolled her hips once, twice, before he stopped her.

“Lizzy, do you want this to end before it’s begun?” he gasped.

“I don’t ever want this to end, Red,” Liz said foolishly.

He grinned at her, clearly formulating a witty response but she continued before he could speak.

“Later, Red. Tease me later.”

He looked at her curiously, puzzling over the implications of that “later”.

“Later, Lizzy?”

“Yes, later,” she insisted. “For now, please,” she lightly kissed his top lip, “please,” she kissed his bottom lip, “stop talking,” she slipped her tongue teasingly into his mouth, “and fuck me.”

He raised an eyebrow at her and tutted quietly.

“Such foul language, Elizabeth? I would not have expected it of you,” he murmured, clearly amused.

“I think you’ll find me saying and doing a lot you wouldn’t have expected of me tonight, Red.”

She squeezed her legs tighter around his waist and rolled her hips again. His eyes slid shut, seemingly against his will, and she took the opportunity to flip him onto his back. He let out a surprised bark of laughter as she settled comfortably on top of him.

“Well, hello there, Lizzy,” he said cheerfully. “Is there something I can do for you?”

She tilted her head and pretended to consider the question as he brought his hands up to cup her breasts.

“Well, I’ve always wanted to learn another language,” she said slowly. “Or you could show me how to cook an actual meal.” She gasped as he pinched one of her nipples lightly. “You could always teach me how to dance.”

“Hmm,” he agreed, moving his hands lower. “I _could_ do all of those things.”

“Or you could tell me one of your stories,” she said breathlessly. “You know how I love your stories.”

“You should tell me all about what you love about me, Lizzy,” he murmured, tracing his hands teasingly over her panties. “Some other time, when I can really appreciate what you’re saying.”

“Red?”

“Yes, Lizzy?”

She leaned down so they were lying chest to chest and her face was hovering just over his.

“Stop talking.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes,” Liz said, nuzzling against his ear. “Stop talking and fuck me.”

Red let out a sigh of teasing resignation.

“If you insist.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read and leave kudos/comments. It's always appreciated!


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